How to Fix iPhone Sound Problems

This is a tutorial on some quick fixes to try when encountering iPhonesoundproblems with your speaker or ringer.

iPhones are really great devices for playing music and talking on the phone, either with headphones or through the built-in speaker. The fun is cut short however when sound fails to play through the speaker and there seems to be no rhyme or reason why.

Before immediately heading to a service provider however, some iPhone sound problem fixes are able to be done at home and may even eliminate some of the questions you may need to answer if getting the phone repaired.

There are a few different types of failures you could be experiencing with the sound on your iPhone. The most common is when the audio is not working whatsoever and no sound is emitting from the speaker.

Other failures could include the iPhone being stuck in headphones mode, damaged lightning port or software corruption. Here are a few quick tips for troubleshooting your iPhone sound issues.

Watch the video above for a guide on how to troubleshoot sound problems with your iPhone.

Troubleshooting No iPhone Speaker Audio

When the iPhone is not playing audio through the speaker, there are first a few things to check. Software can always play a role in apparent hardware failures so that needs to be checked first and foremost.

Ensure that the iPhone is not in Do Not Disturb mode by swiping up the Control Center and checking for the Moon graphic in the top row of icons. This feature is designed to keep the iPhone quiet so it should be a first check. Also check the Ringer Switch next to the Volume Buttons and flip it upwards if it’s not. This will also allow audio to freely play on the iPhone.

Next check that the iPhone is not playing audio elsewhere. Check that Bluetooth is not turned on in Control Center and that Airplay is not currently paired to any Apple TV sources.

Perform a hard reset of the software by holding the Home Button and Sleep/Wake Switch at the same time to test sound upon restart. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, the phone may need to be Restored through iTunes to check a fresh version of the OS. This should be a last resort however, as the sound issue should be resolved with the above steps if it is a simple software hiccup.

Often the iPhone will stop playing external audio if it believes headphones are still plugged in. This usually happens after you use headphones with the device and sometimes dust or debris can litter the inside of the port. It also could indicate some sort of physical damage to the port, firing a false positive to the sound drivers on the iPhone.

Taking a quick look to the inside of the jack with a flashlight will usually reveal anything obvious, and using some compressed air in the port can help in cleaning out small debris. If you see any discoloration or corrosion, you may be dealing with physical damage.

Plug headphones into the iPhone and make sure you feel a good solid click connection. Then check that the headphones actually play audio. If you are hearing sound at this point, try removing them headphones firmly by the tip. Clicking the volume buttons will either show Ringer or Headphones, indicating if the fix worked or not.

iPhone Sound and Speaker Repair

If all else fails in troubleshooting, the device will likely need to have the speaker replaced or the entire phone swapped out. Make sure all information is backed up before going to an Apple Store or other service provider, and be prepared to restore the device if you haven’t already at this point.

Hardware repairs can vary in cost where the speaker may be under $80 yet the whole device may need replacement if there’s a bad contact point to the speaker, which will be more expensive.

These quick fixes may save you the headache of not being able to hear calls or music and mores a long trip to your local Apple Store for help at the Genius Bar. You may end your journey there eventually but we’d like to help you by eliminating common solutions first.

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